Olive packing machine



Aug. 10, 1954 c. HAUMILLER ET AL OLIVE PACKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 11, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS. CHARLES HAUMILLER CLIFFORD A. HAUMILLER ATTORNEY 1954 c. HAUMILLER ET Al 2,685,994

OLIVE PACKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 11, 1950 a Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. lo

IN V EN TORS. C HAR HAUMILLER CLIFF A. H AUMI LLE R ATTORNEY Aug. 10, 1954 c. HAUMILLER ET AL 2,685,994

' OLIVE PACKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 11, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS CHARLES HAUMILLER CLIFFORD AJHAUMILLER ATTORNEY Aug. 10, 1954 c. HAUMILLER ET AL 2,685,994

OLIVE PACKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 11, 1950 8 SheetsSheet 4 52:55; I08 I 34 /H5 I09 ooooooooooooobo 95 INVENTORS. CHARLES HAUMILLER Y CLIFFORD A. HflUMILLER ATTORNEY Aug. 10, 1954 c. HAUMILLER ET AL OLIVE PACKING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 11, 1950 FIGS INVENTORS. CHARLES HAUMILLER BY CLIFFORD A. HAUMILLER ATTORNEY Aug. 10, 1954 c. HAUMILLER ET AL. 2,685,994

OLIVE PACKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 11, 1950 a Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG. I4

. IN VEN TORS CHARLES HAUMILLER BY CITIFFORD A. HAUMlLtER ATTORNEY Aug. 10, 1954 c. HAUMILLER ET AL OLIVE PACKING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Feb. 11, 1950 new INVENTORSl CHARLES HAUMILLER BY CLIFFORD. A..I'IAUMILLER ATTbRNEY Aug. 10, 1954 c. HAUMILLER ETAL 2,685,994

OLIVE PACKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 11. 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTORS CHARLES HAU MILLER CLIFFORD A. HAUMILLER ATToRrgY l atentecl Aug. 10, 1954 OLIVE PACKING MACHINE Charles Haumiller and Clifiord A. Haumiller, Elgin, Ill.

Application February 11, 1950, Serial No. 143,642

19 Claims. 1

Our invention relates in general to a packing machine and more specifically to a machine for picking up articles from a conveyor and packing them within a container.

For the purpose of illustration we have illustrated our invention as an olive packing machine with devices operated to pick up a plurality of the olives from a conveyor, transfer them to a position over a bottle, and then place them in position inside the bottle.

In the past olives have been hand packed in bottles or containers and this has been an expensive and time consuming operation. This is especially true in the case of stuffed olives where it is necessary to pack the olives in just the right position so that the pimento ends thereof are all faced toward the outside of the bottles and are visible from the outside.

We have designed a packing machine in which the olives are automatically picked up in pairs from a conveyor by a pair of pick up arms by means of suction cups or the like. The arms are then indexed around to a position directly over a bottle or other container. The pick up arms are then lowered, with the olives held close together until they enter the neck or mouth of the container, at which time the arms are spread apart to the position in which the olives are to be packed with the pimento sides rubbing against the outside of the container until they reach either the bottom of the container or the proper position on top of the last pair of olives packed. The vacuum is then released and a spurt of air under pressure sent through the arms to the suction cups on the end thereof to release the pair of olives and leave them in position. The pick up arms are then raised, brought close together again and the bottle or container is indexed around one quarter turn so as to be in position to receive the next pair of olives.

There are a number of features of novelty in the machine some of which are set forth below and others of which will be apparent from the detailed description.

One feature is the design of the pick up and release device which permits application of vacuum to the suction cups at just the right time to pick up the olives and the application of a spurt of air under pressure to the cups to positively release the olives at the proper instant when positioned in the container.

Other features relate to the timing of the various parts to index the pick up arms at the proper moment, to index the bottles 90 between operations of the arms and to so direct the pick up 2 arms by camming actions that they are properly positioned to pick up, transfer, and pack the olives at the proper intervals.

Another feature relates to the means for linking the indexing means to a turn table to index an empty container into position for packing after one is filled.

Certain of the parts which are well known we have shown only diagrammatically in order to simplify the disclosure. Also we have shown in certain figures only the parts necessary for packing one bottle or container at a time while the description explains the duplication of certain of the parts in the actual machine as shown in Figs. 1 and 1a so that two containers may be simultaneously packed.

The machine as disclosed comprises a heavy metal framework forminga table with the necessary brackets and arms for supporting a motor which acts as the source of power for all moving parts and also drives a compressor for producing a vacuum and also provides a source of air under low pressure for connection with the pick up and. transfer arms. At the center of the table we provide a rotatable shaft, which has bearings in the top of the frame and a shelf under the top. This shaft is also slidably mounted in the bearings and arranged to be raised and lowered at intervals as will be described. On the top of the shaft is a head secured thereto carrying a plurality of depending pick up arms for picking up olives or the like from a conveyor. which moves in a step by step operation. While the shaft and head are in a stationary rotary position the shaft is lowered and a source of vacuum connected to the pick up arms to cause the suction cups on the ends of the pair of arms to pick up a pair of olives, while at the same time a pair of arms which have previously picked up a pair of olives are lowered into a container located at another position from the pick up location) and a burst of air under pressure is now connected to the pick up arms to cause them to de-. posit a pair of olives in a container. The indexing of the head from one position to another and also indexing a container around 90 in position for the next pair of olives is accomplished by a Geneva gear movement which rotates a sleeve keyed to the shaft to cause rotation thereof.

Fig. 1 is a full front view of the machine.

Fig. 1a is a top view of the table top showing the two conveyors and the two indexing tables holding the containers.

Fig. 2 is alarger view of the upper part of the machine above the power devices taken from the rear of Fig. 1.

Fig. 2a is a view taken from the rear of the machine showing only the lower half thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the upper and lower sections of the shaft showing the vacuum and air channels therethrough.

Fig. 4 is a larger view of the gears and clutches operati g to index the bottles around on their own axis and to index the bottles around on the plate to bring an empty one into position.

Fig. 5 is a top view of the rotating table holding the bottles.

Fig. 6 is a view of the rotating table of Fig. '6 taken from the under side.

Fig. 7 is a view taken from the left side of Fig. l with only certain parts shown.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of one of the arms of Fig. 2 which pushes out a pick up arm.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the other arm of Fig. 2 which pulls in the other pick up arm.

Fig. 10 is a view taken from the top of the circular disc mounted under the head of the shaft.

Fig. 11 is a top view taken from a point under the plate of Fig. 10 and looking down on the cam surfaces and the top of the base plate in Fig. 2.

Fig. 12 is a view of the block or head on the top of the shaft with the top plate removed, showing the valves and the channels for air and vacuum therethrough.

Fig. 13 is a larger view of the head and disc thereunder taken from one side.

Fig. 14 is a top view of "the Geneva gear combination.

Figs. 15 and 16 show sectional views of the valves in both positions of operation.

Figs. 17, 18 and 19 show top, end, and sectional views of the molded unit on the conveyer for carrying the olives into position for pick up.

Referring to Fig. l we have shown the essential elements of a preferred embodiment of the invention. A frame work generally designated as I supports the various elements of the machine either directly or on brackets or bearings secured thereto. All bearings and securing means have been shown only diagrammatically to simplify the drawings.

Supported by the frame l is the motor 2 which acts ,as a power drive and also includes an air compressor to supply a source of vacuum thru the tube 3 leading therefrom and to supply a source of air under low pressure, greater than atmospheric, to the tube 23 leading to the lower end of the shaft. By means of sprocket wheels and the chain 8 the motor drives a shaft 5 suspended in bearings E on the under side of shelf l which is secured on frame I. The shaft 5 rotates continuously and has a pair of worms cut thereon at 8 and 9. Cooperating with and driven by worm 9 there is a worm gear wheel i9 mounted on shaft I I journaled in a depending frame work including a pair of plates such as I2 extending downward in parallel from shaft 7 and rigidly secured in spaced relation at their bottom ends. The shaft H has hearings in each plate I2 with gear I0 rigid with the shaft between the two plates. At one end the shaft carries a cam 13 secured thereto. A cam follower M operates against the cam face to operate a series of levers to step the conveyors such as It one step at a time by means of a ratchet and pawl I5. The two conveyors and their operating mechanisms are clearly shown in Figs. 1 and la. On the opposite end of shaft II is rigidly mounted on arm I6 shown in Fig. 2a to which the upper end of arm I! is pivoted at a point near the outer edge of the arm. Thus as arm I6 rotates the arm Il acts as a driver to move arm it up and down with a very slight movement at the end of the upward and at the end of the downward movements. This arm [8 is pivoted to a bracket I and linked by means of a pair of spaced arms 2% to a bearing 20 on the lower end ofhshaftfil so that the shaft is raised, held in upper position for an interval with very slight movement and then lowered. The drive arm I8 is spring loaded by spring 22 to aid in raising the shaft.

A second worm gear wheel 25 (Fig. 2a) is rigidly mounted on the lower end of a shaft 26 and meshes with and is driven by the worm 8 on shaft 5. This shaft 26 is jcurnalled in bearings in shelf 1 and in top plate of frame I as seen in Fig. 2a, and the shaft 26 is therefore also continuously driven. Between the shelf 1 and top plate of frame I the operating member 2c of a well known Geneva movement is rigidly secured to shaft 26. A sleeve 27 has bearings in the top plate of frame -I and in shelf I so that it is rotatable therein. This sleeve acts as a bearing for shaft II which can be moved endwise within the sleeve. The sleeve is keyed to shaft 21 by a pin in the sleeve which cooperates with a long slot in shaft 2i so that whenever the sleeve 2'! is rotated it also rotates shaft 2i. The other element 29 of the Geneva gear movement is rigidly mounted on the sleeve 27 so that with each full rotation of shaft 26, the sleeve 21 is moved one quarter turn or and thus rotates the shaft 2! a quarter turn. Also mounted on the sleeve 2? is a sprocket wheel 30, driving a chain 3i which communicates the quarter turn of the sleeve 27 to sleeve 32 each time the Geneva movement functions to turn the sleeve 27.

On the back side of the frame I and operating through openings in the top plate of the frame is a conveyor chain I l, moved by a pair of sprocket wheels 33 and 33. A similar conveyor chain and sets of sprocket wheels are shown in Figs. 1 and la at the front edge of the frame I. At spaced intervals on the conveyors are the molded elements such as 34 shown more in de tail in Figs. 17, 18 and 19; Referring to these figures it will be seen that these elements have a pair of depressions each conforming to the shape of an olive so that two olives may be placed in each element by the operator and the conveyors thus step pairs of olives under the pick up arms in the pick up position. Above the top plate of frame I and mounted around and serving as a bearing for shaft 2I is a base element 35 with a vertical cylinder upright therefrom in the sides of which are inserted cam surfaces such as 38 and 38. In the completed machine there will be two similar smaller cam surfaces 31 and 31 and two similar larger cam surfaces 38. and 38' as shown in Fig. 11 with like cams diametrically opposite. Also mounted as uprights inplate 35 are the valve operating rods 39 and 56 which are set with the top end at a. certain height to operate the valves as will be described.

On top of the shaft 2| is a large metal head Al on the top of which is secured a large plate 4! for supporting the pick up arms. This metal head 41 is shown in Figs. 2, 3, l2 and 13, the top view showing the channels in dotted lines leading to the valves 42, 43, 44 and 45.

The head 4! is rigidly locked on the shaft 2i and carries four sets of forkedmounting brackets in which the arms 46, 41, 48 and 49 are pivoted'as-at 46 and41'. These arms carry the cam follower rollers such as 50 and 5| and operate to be described. Thehead 4| also carries the four valves as stated. Each valve is secured to the head 4| by means of a bolt such as 52 which threads into a threaded hole in head 4| and compresses a spring 53 against the washer 54 so as to hold the valve disc 55 and plate 55' tightly against a smooth side of head 4|. The disc 55 has a groove 56 (Fig. 15) in the back surface thereof. The plate 55' is rigid with disc 55 and has a pair of holes 51 and 56 which both always communicate with the groove 56 in disc 55. When the disc 55 and plate 55' have. been rotated to the position shown in Fig. 15 and as shown at 43 in Fig. 13, then the holes,5'| and58 connect the channel 59 in head 4| with the channel 60 which is connected to a source of vacuum thru channels in said head and in shaft 2|. The channel 59 leads to a hole up thru head 4| and plate 4| to the tube 59' extending up from plate 4| and having a pair of tubes leading to the pair of pick up arms 63 and 64 controlled by this valve. When the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 16, and as shown by valve 42 on the right side of Fig. 13, then the channel 59 is connected by means of holes 51 and 58 of the valve to channel 6| in head 4| which leads to the channel cut upward thru head 4| and plate 4| and thru a tube such as 6|" connected to a source of air under pressure thru cap 69 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the shaft 2| to show the channels therethru and their connection with the various channels in and thru the head 4|. The main shaft 2| has a fitting 62 screwed into the lower end terminating in a coupling at the lower end to which the air pressure tube 23 is connected (Fig. 1). The coupling 63 permits the air connection to remain in one position as the shaft turns. Above the coupling 63 is a coupling 64 which has a projection on which the tube 3 (Fig. 1) fits to connect vacuum. thereto. This coupling also remains stationary as the shaft 2| turns and has an inlet connecting with an inner groove 55 around the inside of the coupling which maintains the source of vacuum in constant communication with a channel 66 around the outside of air tube 61 through holes 66 bored thru fitting 62. The tube 67 is threaded into a reduced threaded portion on the inside of shaft 2| at 68. The air channel thus passes thru tube 61' up into a hollow cap 69 on the top of the shaft which has a series of four openings in the top thereof each having tubular fittings thereon leading by means of tubes to one of the holes thru plate Ma and head 4| to channels 6|, 6|, etc.

The vacuum thru channel 66 leads up thru the said channel around tube 6'! and inside the shaft 2| thru the tubular element I0 which is threaded at the lower end into a threaded shoulder at 1 I. The holes 12 connect the vacuum source in turn to a cavity 13 around said tube and inside head 4| and thereby to all the channels 60 drilled thru the head 4| to valve 42, etc. The cap 69 is held by means of screws or the like to the disc 14 and thus encases the nut 15 which clamps the plate 14 to top plate 4| by means of threads on the upper end of tube 61.

Referring now to Fig. 13 as previously described we have shown how cam arms 45 and 41 are pivoted at 46' and 4] by means of pivot screws and are held by springs 16 and 17 against a pair of stops 18 and 79 which may beadjustedto any 6 desired point. The plate 89 (Fig. 10) contains notches such as 8| in which the arms 46 and 47 as well as the other two arms (not shown) at the front and back of the frame are fitted and also has holes such as 82 (Fig. 10) in which the valve operating pins such as 83 and 84 and 35 and 86 are loosely fitted, as shown in Fig. 2. At 39 and 40 (Fig. 2) and at like points on the two opposite sides of the shaft 2| are pairs of rods secured in the top of plate 35 of frame I as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 11, which are so set as to operate the pins 83, 84 or 85, 86, as the shaft 2| and head 4| is lowered, to thereby operate the valves such as 42 thru the medium of pins 87 and 88 or 8'! and 88'. For instance, in the position shown in Fig. 2 the rod 39 has pushed the pin 94 upward to engage the pin 88 to in turn rotate valve 42 by engaging pin 83 on the valve. This operation causes channel 59 leading to arms 63 and 64 to be connected to channel 6| and thence thru cap 69 to the channel 61 and to the source of compressed air.

Referring now to Fig. 1 and Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, we will describe generally the parts included in the mechanism for indexing the bottles to proper positions on the two tables. As described, the sleeve 32 is rotated a quarter turn at the same time that sleeve 27 is being indexed around 90.

At its upper end and rotatable therewith sleeve 32 has a gear wheel 89 which meshes with and turns four gears 90, 9|, 92 and 93. Each of the gears 99 to 93 is fixed to a shaft having a bearing in a plate 94 and on the opposite side of plate 94 each shaft has a plate secured rigidly therewith. The rotatable plates 95, 96, 91 and 98 are respectively fixed on the same shaft as gears 99 to 93. The plate 9 1 is rigid with the end of shaft 32. There is a clutch arrangement on lower end of shaft 32' comprising a circular disc 99 which is keyed to shaft 32 by a key Hill on shaft 32 and a slot on the inside of disc 99 so that the disc 99 can be moved up and down on shaft 32 by a handle NH and a lever [92 having a fork on the end engaging and moving disc 99. On the upper and lower sides of disc 99 are pins I93 and 34. When :disc 99 is lowered the pin Hi4 enters a hole in the plate N35 to lock the shaft 32' and hold it stationary while sleeve 32 can be rotated as desired and will rotate all four gears 99 to 93'and therefore individually rotate each of the plates to 98. When disc 99 is raised the pin I03 enters a hole in collar M6 to link the shaft 32 with sleeve 32. In this case when sleeve 32 is given a quarter turn it also rotates plate 94 so as to move that plate and all discs 95 to 98 a full quarter turn around. Each of the rotatable plates 95 to 98 has a framework with three posts such as l9! with a pair of metal rings at the top and bottom at I68 and I9. The plates I98 have a heavy rubber ring clamped between them at H9 as do plates I99 have a similar rubber ring and these rings have an opening in the center thereof to support a bottle or container and hold it both from sidewise or rotary motion, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2a. Both container tables shown in Figures 1 and la are alike and the above description applies to both which index together to bring two containers into packing positions.

As previously described generally, the arms such as 4! have a pair of spring loaded arms such as I and H2 as shown in Fig. 2 for controlling the movement of pick up arms 63' and 64. The springs, 16 and H normally tend to hold arm 47 in against the stop 18 when the cam follower 59 is up above the cam such as 38 and in this positionerm A12 pulls pick up-arm163imat its lower rend-and arm it! pushes the lower end :of pickup arm =64 out. The pick up arms therefore hang with the lower .ends closetogether .as the arms are being indexed :around. .In the pick up 3,110- 5 lationso that the suction cups at the lower end are ldirectlyabove a pair of olives OlIl-OIlCzOf the elements 34. Now, .as the arms :rise the arms carrying the olives come close-together until indexed around over the container. As roller :59

ridesdown a cam such as .38 the roller engages cam 38 .just as the ends with cups 41:3 and H4 enter the top of :container H5. Then arm MT is moved-out and-arms Hi and H2 function to spread out the lower ends of the pickup arms until the olives held thereby engage the inside 520 .outer surface of the container.

The arms 11M and I l2 are shown in Figs. 8 and 9 in detailshowing spring H6 which gives resilient outward pressure to arm 53 and the spring ill which enough to maintain zthe;.tubes in lowest positions and press :the olivesldown in a container. The sleeves. 2H8 and 14 .9 are mounted at different heights as shown-at the "left of-Fig.2 so that the :pick .uparmsare held one-above .the other as .in-

:dicated. As the. terms engage-a pair of olives :in pick up positionone is lifted before :theother but the .olives .are engaged .at practically the same time. In .theeontainer the arms will movedown :until they reach .either the .bottom of the .con- :tainer or in :succeeding operations when they reach the last packed pair of .olives and farther :movement is absorbed by .the arms sliding in sleeves-1 l8 and H9. Returning to the sequence. of

operations, after the Geneva .gear has turned sleeve 21 :and shaft 121 the arm 18 starts :to lower shaft 2i inside sleeve '21 and head -:41 and all pick uparms start downward. One pair of arms (carrying thetwoolives hanging close together lowers into the narrow neck of container vl l5 at which time the cam follower .50 engagescam 38 which through arms Mil and H2 spreads theilowerlends of the pick up arms until the pimento ends .of the olives engage the wall of the container and gives resilient inward pressure to E4 :so that the they t moved t t tt of t olives can be pressed tightly against the container without too rigid a pressure. Cam followers such as Snare adjustable up anddown on arm 41 to give movement of the arms at just the right time-as they enter thecontainer. 730

Referring to the drawings generally and mostly to Figs. 1 and 2, we will now describe generally the operations of the machine. As previouslydescribed, the machine can be operated to pack one bottle at a time but in practice will usually pack two bottles simultaneously, in which case there will be two conveyors such as l4 on the opposite sides of .the frame as shown and two indexing assemblies such as shown in Fig. -4.,.-one

at each end of the frame and the camsandarms 40 such as S3 and :64 will have twopic-kup positions and two packing positions.

The operator keeps the elements 3 3 of the-conveyors i l supplied with olives so that each element 3% as it approaches the pick up position will have two olives thereon. In the case of stuffed olives the two will be placed on the element 3=l with the pimento sides toward the outside as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. :17.

All of the above described operations are per- 0 The shafts 5, H and 216 are continuously turned by formed in a certain sequence as follows:

the motor and gears asdescribed. The arms 2H and i8=are movingup and down and starting with the arm iii-at the top of itsmovemenuthen shaft 21 is in its highest position and practically ;remains therefor aninterval withonly slight move- ;ment while the arm 15 turns through approximately the upper sixth of its rotation. During this interval the Geneva movement functions to turn the'sleeve '2lone quarter turn, thus turning "the shaft 2| and carryingthe head t! With its plate 4 i and all the four arms such .as-63:-,and 54 around 90. Thus:assumingth-atarms 63 and-fill had previously picked upnpair (0f olives, ;,then

they are carried around to a position over the container :5 with arms 53 311(1'54' held close together and one-above the other so that one olive is held slightly higher than :the otherso that :the

olives overlap. The sleeves H8 and l 19 support and act as bearings. for tubes 63 and E4 :of the arms and the tubes are keyed within the sleeves so that they will not turn therein but slide readily up and down. The nuts-such as 4 20 and 42d :are made as heavy :as :desired to give weight -compressed air is fed thru tubes 63 and 64 and down to suction cups H3 and 1 14- to aid in dischargingtheolivesin-position. -At this point arms 1-! and Hi again raise the shaft 21 and head 41 to carry all arms upward. Returning now to the time when the shaft was lowered, a second pair of pick up arms willbe lowered directly toward the front in Fig.'2-down in pick up position over one-of the-elements M -to pick up-a pair of olives.

Another valve such as 45 (Fig. 2') will be -controlling this pair of arms and-as the head 4'] is lowered, a pinsuch as will engage a rod 48 to operate valve by means of the other pin 8"! to connect the channel -59 of that valvetoohannel-Gfi which leads tochannels 15, 12 and-'GB-to-a source of vacuum. In this case, therefore, the vacuum is connected to the :two arms suchas 63 and $4 to cause them to each pick -up-an olive from the conveyorelement 34. During this downward-movement also thecamsuch as 51 will ride on-a camsurfacesuch as -31 which'has -much less rise than cam 38 and onlytends to hold thearms parallel inpi-ckup-position.

During the time when all arms are lifted and are being indexed around, the cam 13 in Fig. -1

alsoacts to-index the conveyor 'i'flalong one-step to bring another-element '34 into pick-up position withits pair-of olives. TheGeneva gear'alsoat this time, in turning sleeve 21, turns the sleeve -32 '(F'ig. 1) to-cause all'containers to be indexed around a quarter-turn so that the next pair of olives will be placedalternately-between the-previously placed pair. -When-the two pick up positions with the twoiconveyors such as M are used and there are two turn tables such as ".94 holding :containers, t-hen at the front and rear in :Figs.

1 and Z each-of two pairs of arms suchas 63 and =84 will :be picking up a pair of olives while-at each of two positions to the right and heft as seen in :these figures. each of two pairs pf arms will be depositing a pair of olives in a container. The four valves of Fig. 12 will therefore be operated in pairs, the two opposite ones being operated to connect vacuum to their pick up arms in pick up position by rods such as 40, while the other two opposite valves will be operated to connect compressed air to their respective pick up arms in packing position to aid in releasing the olives from the suction cups.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and '7, whenever the container which is in packing position has been filled, the operator pulls the lever lill around to raise the clutch collar 99 to remove pin [04 from one of the holes in plate I05 to thus unlock the shaft 32 so that it can turn and cause pin I83 to enter one of the holes in collar I05. Now when the Geneva gear movement causes the quarter turn of sleeve 32 by chain 3 I, then shaft 32 will turn with said sleeve. As plate 94 is rigid on the shaft the said plate will be indexed around one quarter turn to bring the next empty container in place in packing position.

Having fully described the features and aspects of our invention, what we consider to be novel and desire to have protected by Letters Patent will be set out in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an olive packing machine for packing olives in a container, a conveyor carrying olives in spaced relation in pairs, a rotatable head carrying pairs of pick up arms depending therefrom, means for moving said head to guide said arms over the conveyor, means operated when said arms are above said conveyor for bringing each of said arms into engagement with an olive on said conveyor to thereby cause each arm to pick up an olive, said first means then moving the head to bring said arms into position over the container with the olives in close relationship with each other and in ofiset position vertically, means for then lowering said arms until the olives are inside the container, means for spreading the lower ends of said arms apart to space the olivesfarther apart inside the container, means for actuating said last means during the lowering of said arms, and means for then discharging said olives from the pick up arms.

2. In a packing machine, a conveyor including a plurality of spaced elements each carrying a pair of articles to a pick up position, a turn table carrying a series of containers, a movable carriage carrying a series of pick up devices, a driving arrangement, means operated thereby to move said carriage from said pick up position to a position over the container, means operated by said driving arrangement to move said carriage up and down in each position, means also operated by said driving arrangement to cause a step by step movement of the conveyor between each up and down movement of the carriage and also to cause only a 90 turn of the containers on said table at the same time, means for causing certain of said devices to pick up a pair of articles at each downward movement of the carriage, and means for causing others of said de'ices to deposit a pair of articles in a container at each such movement.

3. A packing machine such as claimed in claim 2 in which said driving arrangement also has means operative at intervals to cause a rotation of the turn table to index another of said series of containers into position to be packed.

4. In a machine for packing olives in a container, a carriage having a plurality of pairs of pick up devices, a support in which said carriage is rotatably and slidably mounted, a conveyor carrying pairs of olives to a pick up position, avalv for each pair of pick up devices, means for raising and lowering said carriage in said support, means for indexing it around on said support to bring each pair of devices from pick up position to a position to pack a pair of olives in the container successively, and mean for operating the valve of each device to connect a vacuum source to its device when in pick up position and again to connect a source of air compressed at greater than atmospheric pressure to its device when in packing position.

5. In an olive packing machine, a carriage supporting a pair of pick up arms, sleeves pivoted to said carriage, said arms vertically movable in said sleeves, a cam follower, a pair of levers controlled by said cam follower for swinging the lower ends of said arms toward and away from each other, means normally biasing said levers to hold the arms together, means for moving said carriage from a pick up position to a packing position and for moving the carriage downward in each position, a cam mounted in one position in the path of said cam follower and effective to operate the cam follower for causing the ends of the arms to swing to one position when moved down in pick up position, and another oam mounted in the other position for operating the follower to swing the ends of the arms farther apart when in the packing position.

6. A packing machine for picking up articles from a pick up position, lifting the articles, and lowering them into a container, comprising a pair of pick up arms having pick up devices at their lower ends, a sleeve for each arm in which that arm is slidably mounted, a weight on each arm above the sleeve normally engaging the top of the sleeve to hold the arm in its lowest position,

means for indexing the arm from pick up to packing position to cause them to pick up articles and deposit them either on the bottom of a container or on top of other articles previously deposited therein, said weights causing similar downward pressure on the arms regardless of the amount of downward movement of the arms in depositing an article.

7. A packing machine such as claimed in claim 6 in which said sleeves are pivoted to permit swinging movement of the arms and having means for moving the lower ends thereof out-' ward after they enter a container to space the articles tightly against the outside of the con-' and depositing them inside a container, comprising a support, a plurality of pick up arms mounted on said support for rotational and up and down movement thereon, said arms having gripping devices at their lower ends, a sleeve supporting each arm having an opening in which the arm is slidable vertically, means on the arms for limiting the downward movement of the arms in the sleeves, means for lowering the arms to pick up articles and for again lowering the arms to deposit the articles in the container, said 1 1' sleeves: permitting termination. of the downward movement of the arms in the container at any point: as the container becomes filled with. arficles, and means for preventing rotary movement of the arms in said sleeves.

1'0. A packing machine as claimed in claim 9 in which there is a spring loaded clevis connected with each arm and means including said clevisi for moving the arm horizontally to resiliently force an article carried thereby against the side ofa container.

11. In an olive packing machine, means for transferring olives from a conveyor and placing them in a container, comprising a rotatable head carrying a pair of arms having grippingmeans for picking up olives from the conveyor, actuating means for raising, lowering and rotating said head, means-for operating said actuating means to lower and raise said head to thereby move said arms downwardly into engagement with a pair of olives onsaidconveyor while maintaining the arms in acertain spaced relationship, and then raising the arms, to thereby cause said'gripping means of each arm to pick up an olive, means for then operating said actuating means torotate said head to thereby move said arms around to a position over the container with the arms in a different spaced relationship, means for. then operating said actuating means to lower said head to thereby lower said arms into the container, spreading means, and means actuated during the last lowering of said arms for operating'said spreading means to spread apart said arms to cause said olives to engage the outer. wallsof said container, and means for then. depositing said olives in the container.

12. In an olive packing machine for packing olives in a container, a rotat'ably mounted hollow shaft, a conveyor carrying olives, a head on said shaft carrying a series of pick up arms, means for indexing it around from one rotary position over said conveyor to another rotary position over said container, means. for raising andlowering said shaft in each position, a series of channels-through said shaft, one channel connected to air under greater than atmospheric pressure and another channel connected to a source of vacuum, a valve, means for operating said valve in one position of. the shaft, when it is-lowered toward said conveyor, to connect a. pick up armto said one of said. channels, and means forroperating, said valvein another manneratanother: position of the shaft, when it is lowered toward; said container, to connect that pick up arm to said other channel, whereby vacuum'- is applied to an arm in one of its lowered positions over said conveyor to pick up an olive, and said air pressure is applied to the arm in another of its lowered: positions over the con tainertoforcibly discharge an olive held thereby.

l3. In:.a.machine for packing olives in a corn tain'enxa conveyor feeding olives in pairs in spaced relation to the machine, a vertically and rotatably movable support, a pair of pick up arms mounted on said support and normally biased so that the lower ends tend to cling together, means for raising and lowering said support to thereby raise and lower said arms and for indexing saidsupport to bring said arms from a position over the conveyor to a position over the container, a cam mounted in said first position, means on the-arms engaging said cam for spreading the lower ends of the arms apart as they are lowered toward the conveyor to bring them into alignment with. the spacedolives, a second cam mounted in said second position, said last means 12 engaging said second cam for again spreading the lower ends of the arms apart when they have been lowered inside the container.

14. In an olive packing machine, devices for picking up olives from a source of supply, a'rotatable support carrying said devices movable upward and downward, means for lowering, raising and rotating said support to carry olives from said source andtransferring them horizontally to a' position over a container having an opening of reduced size relative the inside of the container, means for then moving said support downward to move the pick up devices into the container through said reduced opening, lever means connected to said devices, and means actuated after the pick updevices enter saidopening for operating saidlever means to move said devices sidewise inside the container to cause the olives to be forced tightly against the side walls of thecontainer and depositing them there- 15. An olive packing machine such as claimed in claim 14: in which the pick up devices consist of tubular arms terminating in suction cups, with channels leading to said arms, and a valve as sociated with each of said channels operable at one time to connect a source of vacuum to the associated one of said channels and at another time to connect a source of air compressed at greater than atmospheric pressure thereto.

16.. in an olive packing machine, a shaft having a plate on the upper end carrying a plurality of pairs of pick up arms, a support in which said shaft is mounted for vertical and rotary movements, means for raising, lowering and rotating the shaft for causing movement of said arms toward and from a pair of pick up positions and a pair of packing positions, said means effective for'l'owering the shaft to cause two of the pairs of arms to pick up a pair of olives in the pick up positions and causing another two of the pairs of arms to deposit pairs of olives in containers at each of the packing positions, said means effective for then raising the shaft and indexing it around to carry all of the pairs of arms around so that the arms carrying olives picked up in the pick up positions are now in the packing position and the other pairs of arms which have deposited olives in containers in the packing position are now in the pick up positions, and means for repeating said operations to simultaneously pack two containers.

1?. In a packing machine, a drive shaft, a first driven shaft, 2. support on which said driven ,shaft: is mounted for up and down and rotary movement, said driven shaft carrying pick up devices for picking up olives or the like and placing them in containers, means whereby said driven shaft is operated by said drive shaft, a turn table carrying a container, a second driven shaft driven by said drive shaft, said turn table mounted on said second. drive shaft, a Geneva gear drive driven by said drive shaft, said Geneva gear operating said driven shafts simultaneously to indeX both of said driven shafts around only a part turn at intervals, and means for raising and lowering said first driven shaft to thereby cause said pick up devices to pick up and deposit the olives in said containers between said intervals when the indexing has ceased.

18. In a machine for packing articles in containers, a transfer mechanism for transferring articles from a pick up position to a packing position comprising a support mounted for vertical and rotary movement, said mechanism comprising a pair of pick up arms having means at the lower ends thereof for picking up a pair of articles, said arms pivoted at their upper ends to said support, means comprising a spring loaded clevis connected to each arm for moving the lower ends of the arms closer together or farther apart, means for indexing said support to move said arms from the pick up position to a position over the container and then lowering the arms into the container, means for operating said moving means as the arms are lowered to move the lower ends thereof apart when they enter the container to bring the pair of articles farther apart, said spring loaded clevis acting in said outward movement of the arms to provide pressure thereof against the walls of containers of varying size.

19. A packing machine such as claimed in '14 claim 18 in which said pick up arms have mounting sleeves which are pivoted to permit said movement of the arms and in which said arms are slidable vertically so that they may be stopped at any point when lowered into the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 792,958 Bagger June 20, 1905 1,247,722 Rogers et a1. Nov. 27, 1917 1,556,078 Clymer Oct. 6, 1925 1,779,174 Larsen Oct. 21, 1930 1,935,739 Freese Nov. 21, 1933 2,025,935 Burns Dec. 31, 1935 2,031,713 Johnson Feb. 25, 1936 

